USA > Rhode Island > The correspondence of the colonial governors of Rhode Island, 1723-1775, Vol. II > Part 21
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No material alterations among the Great all the Judges have had their Commissions renewed as also the Governors &cª of the Colonies. We have just received an Express from Germany for the Particu- lars whereof and the other Current News of the Town I referr to the Inclosed Prints of which I desire the Favourable acceptance and am with great Esteem
318
Correspondence of the
and regard to thyself and the Gent of the General Assembly
Their and thy Ass! Frd
JOSEPH SHERWOOD.
3ª March 1761.
To STEPHY HOPKINS Esq.
Gov'. of the Colony of Rhode-Island and Provi- dence Plantations in America.
JOSEPH SHERWOOD TO GOVERNOR HOPKINS.
Respª. Frd.
I wrote thee by the last Packett mentioning the Receipt of thy Favours of 31st Augt and 17th JanTy last. The General Account of your Operations in 1759 contained in the first is very Instructing and would have been of good Service had it Arrived in Time but the Lords of the Treasury made the return of General Amherst the Standard of their Allottment which return Consisted, not, of the Men actually sent into the Field, but of the Numbers Voted by each Assembly. Intimation was given to them that most of the Colonies were Deficient in sending the whole Number Voted, but that Objection was Answered by Alledging that those Deficiencys were in every one of the Colonies near equally proportionable to the Troops Voted in each respective Colony. and which I Apprehend was pretty much the Case in the Year 1759 you being 150 Deficient and if your De-
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319
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
ficiencys in that year were much less than the rest of the Colonys it wod have been necessary to Instruct me not only, what your Number were, but also what the Neighbouring Colonies sent out which if [it] had Arrived before the Allottment I wod have made a proper use of. As I am so Seldom Favoured with Letters from thee I hope thou wilt hereafter send Triplicates of every Letter (at least during the Con- tinuance of the Warr.) I note your Observation respecting the late Distribution and apprehend the money was Allotted ratably according to the Num- ber of Troops Voted by each Colony and Under- neath I send the Account of the Troops Voted for 1759 as Appears by the return of General Am- herst.1
The Account Amounting to £281.1.6. for Marine Service 2 is not come to hand I hope it will be Trans- mitted as soon as possible and then I will make the proper Application.
I Expect the Letter of Attorney will Answer all purposes Intended now, being so amply Confirmed by thy Letter of 17th Jan :
The Information respecting the Campaign 1760 is very seasonable and acceptable I think it is very equitable that the Troops really sent into the Field and not the Troops Voted ought to be the Measure of Distribution more especially when some of the Colonies fall so far short of the Numbers Voted.
1 See p. 322.
2 The agent was directed to ask 40s. per head for the seamen sent up the St. Law- rence in 1759. See Coi. Rec. of R. I., VI. 241 and 254.
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Correspondence of the
Some of our Leading Men have taken great Dis- gust at the Trade with the French mentd in thy Letter and said to be carried on by the Northern Colonies. many Appeals 1 are depending respecting Condemnations of Ships in that Trade I dont hear that any English Appeals have been Determined yet, the Condemnation of those Vessells I think may Appease their wrath and that it will not be Extended to any Parliamentary Prohibition. However if any Application shoª be made to Parliament I will most certainly do my utmost for your Benefit and give you Notice.
I have received the Warrant for the £9328.2 but when the money will be Received is Doubtfull. We may Receive it, perhaps in One, peradventure not in three Months. The many and Various Calls on the Publick for money Occasion these delays. It was hinted to us by one of the Senior Clerks of the Trea- sury as if we shod soon Receive half our Money and be Oblidged to accept Government Securitys for the other Moiety payable, at some future day with Inter- est. However we are at present in a State of uncer- tainty so soon as it is fixed I will give you Infor- mation.
I have not the least Instructions respecting the Disposition of this money when it is Received you
1 See vote of the Assembly, October, 1760. Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 259; also letter of Hopkins to Pitt, Ibid., VI. 263.
2 Rhode Island's share of the grant of 1760. Out of the grant for 1759 she received £8798.
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
will therefore on Receipt of this send me your De- termination in that behalf and if you shall Resolve to draw Bills on me for it, I must Intreat you will be carefull not to send these Bills till you are Assured the money is Actually Received or Receivable by me as it will be extremely Difficult for me to Provide for such a Sum out of any other Fund.
By my Letters 1 and Duplicates of the 16th Sept. 24th Oct! Ioth Dec' 31st Jan'y and 3ª March thou wilt see my Progress in the Affair of the Crown Point Expedition which now lays in the same manner as when I wrote last on that Subject I hope you will Speedily furnish me with Answers to the Objec- tions Raised and then I shall Continue my Applica- tion but I do Assure you it is Up-Hill-work to pursue such matters at this particular Juncture.
By my Letter and Duplicate of the 8th Aug: I sent my Account with the Colony but as no mention is made of the Receipt of it I Inclose a third. I am with great respect to the Gent of the General As- sembly and thy self their and
Thy Assd Frd
JOSEPH SHERWOOD. AUSTIN-FRYERS
30 May 1761.
1 See pp. 313, 316 for the last two mentioned. VOL. II.
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Correspondence of the
General Amherst's Return.
Massachusetts .
6500 Men
Connecticut
5000
New Hampshire
I 200
Rhode Island . 1000
New York . 2680
New Jersey
1000
Pennsylvania
3300
Virginia
I 200
Total
21880
To STEPHN HOPKINS Esq. Gov. of the Colony of Rhode-Island.
JOSEPH SHERWOOD TO GOVERNOR HOPKINS.
Esteemed Fra
Many of the Colony Bills have been presented. all those of 10 Days I have accepted, some of the 60 days Date I have Sufferred to be protested in Order to see what may turn out between this and the Time of their coming due; Yet I shall Endeavour to take Care of them and not Suffer them to return but I fear it will be Attended with loss to the Colony.1
The House of Commons has Voted £133,000 for the American Colonies to be Divided according to the respective Meritt of each.
Great Preparations are making in the Privateering way for Annoying the Spaniards.
1 See Governor Ward's letter of August 6, 1762.
1
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
Notwithstanding all I could do the Lords of the Treasury Resolved that they wod not Agree to my Application to Parliament for your Expences in 1756.
I Deferr sending a Copy of the Navy Bill till next Opportunity.
Both Houses of Parliament are sitting nothing arises therein relating to the Colonies except what I have mentioned The Late Attorney Gen! is made Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.1 The Soll: Gen! is made Attny Gen! and Fletcher Norton Esq: an Eminent King's Council is made Soll: Gen! I am
Thy respectfull Fra
JOSEPH SHERWOOD
6th Feb. 1762.
To STEPHEN HOPKINS Esq!
Gov. of the Colony of Rhode-Island and Provi- dence Plantations in America.
SAMUEL WARD TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.2
EAST GREENWICH 26. February 1762.
Gentlemen
That the present Party Disputes now unhappily subsisting in this Colony are very injurious to the
1 Hon. Charles Pratt became Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and Mr. Yorke Attorney-General.
2 See Ward's letter of January 2, 1761, declining a proposal from Hopkins which was similar to this in general tenor, although not in detail. Hopkins refused to enter- tain this proposition.
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Correspondence of the
publick every sensible Man must be convinced and it is the Duty of every Person who wishes well to the Colony to endeavour to put a Period to them I hum- bly propose the following Plan and heartily wish it may effectually answer that desirable end.
Ist That Governor Hopkins and myself respec- tively resign our Pretensions to the Office of Gov- ernor
2ª As the Town of Newport is the Metropolis of the Colony and pays one fifth of all publick Taxes it appears reasonable that the Governor should reside there and altho I am very far from prescribing to the Freemen of the Colony in the Choice of their Offi- cers I must beg leave to say that I shall be much pleased to see the honorable Gideon Wanton Esq' fill the Chair and hope the Freemen will appoint that Gentleman or some other in Newport capable of sustaining that Important Post with Ability
3ª I think it equally reasonable that the Deputy Governor should reside in Providence as that place for Number of Inhabitants and its extensive Com- merce is the second in the Colony and altho I am sensible I have no other Right to nominate than any other Freeman of the Colony I flatter myself that my acknowledging that Nicholas Cook Esq: or Daniel Jencks Esq: or some other Gentleman of equal merit would in my Opinion give a general Satisfac- tion in that honorable Place will give Offence to no Person
4. I beg leave to add that the Magistrates be equally chosen out of the two contending Parties and if this Plan be acceptable to the General Assembly
1
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
and adopted by Governor Hopkins I will chearfully resign all my Pretensions to the Chair and shall think myself very happy in having had a small Share in restoring Harmony and Unanimity to the Colony 1 I am Gentlemen
Your most Obed! Servant
SAM WARD
To the Honorable the Gen! Assembly A true Copy of the Original is on File in my Office. Witness HENRY. WARD Secretary.
INSTRUCTIONS OF GOVERNOR WARD TO COLONEL ROSE. 2 By the Honble Samuel Ward Esq: Governor, Captain General and Commander in Chief of and over the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England in America.
Instructions to be observed by Samuel Rose Esq. Colonel of the 8 Regiment raised in this Colony to be Employed in North America in such manner as his Majesty's Commander in Chief shall think fit until the first day of November next unless sooner lawfully discharged
Ist You are to embrace the first suitable Weather and with such
1 In the next election (May, 1762) Ward was elected governor.
2 Rose was colonel of the regiment voted in December, 1761. See Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 300; and Arnold, Rhode Island, II. 234.
8 War had been declared against Spain as the aggressive ally of France, in January, 1762. See Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 298. Pitt had resigned in the preceding October, and the Earl of Egremont became Secretary of State, and reaped the benefits of Pitt's talent for organization, and also of the spirit of enterprise and enthusiasm with which he had imbued both the army and the naval service. The French West Indies were the point of attack. Martinique surrendered on February 14. See General Amherst's let- ters in Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 310, 312. Amherst's letter requesting a levy of two hun- dred and seven men follows. Ibid., VI. 310. The Assembly had voted a regiment of six hundred and sixty-six men in December, and added one hundred and seventy-eight in March. Ibid., 300, 305, 316. The " expedition of the utmost importance " to which Amherst refers was the reduction of Cuba. The Rhode Island troops were ordered to Albany.
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Correspondence of the
part of the aforesaid Regiment as hath not already been sent forward in the Vessels provided by this Government and proceed directly to Albany. And at all Times You with the Forces under Your Command are to observe such Instruction and Orders as shall be given You by His Majesty's Commander in Chief in North America
2nd During the Voyage to Albany and Your Continuance in the Service You are to use Your utmost care and Diligence that the Forces under Your Command be supplied with Necessaries of all sorts and in every respect well treated that they may be in good order and full of spirit and Vigour. This will highly Con- duce to His Majesty's Service and Your Own Honor
3".ª You are to take particular care that none of the Arms Ac- coutrements nor any other Articles with which the said Troops shall be supplied be wasted lost or Embezzled. This I recom- mend to You strongly as heretofore the Colony hath suffered greatly upon that Account. And further You are to take notice that each officer by Act of Assembly is made accountable for all the Arms and Accoutrements he shall receive.
4th You are from time to time to give notice to Your Constitu- ents of every thing Material respecting the said Troops so long as they shall Continue under Your Command
Given under my Hand and Seal this Seventeenth day of May 1762 and in the second Year of the Reign of His most Sacred Majesty George the Third by the Grace of God King of Great Britain
GOVERNOR WARD TO NATHANIEL MUMFORD.1
WESTERLY July 1: 1762
Sir
You'l receive herewith the Billeting Rolls 2 for the Years 1757, 61 and 62 amounting in the whole to
1 Mumford would seem to have been a person of little importance. No reference to him is found save in connection with this affair, and a statement in Arnold's Rhode Island, II. 413, that in 1778 he was state clothier for the troops.
2 See enclosure.
1
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
£1858.10.72 Sterls with which You will immediately proceed to New. York and wait on his Excellency General Amherst 1 And as you are sensible that the Government is in the greatest Want of the Money You'l exert your utmost Endeavours to ob- tain it and at the same Time will transact the Busi- ness with all possible dispatch and Oeconomy that the Government may receive their Money with as little Expence as may be. The Rolls for the Year 1757 should have been presented long since 2 but the General's Candor will not permit the Government to suffer by a Neglect which they often complained of but could not prevent
In the Year 1761 the Soldiers were not discharged until some Time after their Return from Fort Stan- wix3 and had billeting allowed them in the mean Time but as those Rolls are not returned me I could not send them You may however mention them to the General and receive his Directions concerning them.
I am in Hopes you'l receive the Money in New York without any Delay or Difficulty but if the Affair cannot be accomplished without going to Albany it will be better to proceed there than to return without the Money 4
You'l receive Gold, Silver or Bills of Exchange ; if Silver it will be for the Governments Interest to exchange it for Gold if you can conveniently Gold
1 See the orders of the Assembly, Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 322.
2 Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 327.
8 The new fort built by Brigadier Stanwix at the Great Carrying Place on the Mo- hawk, in 1758.
4 See Ward's letter to Amherst of September 6, 1762, in Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 338.
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Correspondence of the
being higher here in Proportion to Silver than in New York and whatever Money you receive you will on your Return to Newport lodge in the General Treasury there
I am &c
S WARD
[Enclosure.]
Billeting Rolls for 1757 of Dan! Wall's Comp!
amounted to Sterl! £89. 6.3}
Ebenezer Whitings Company 49.17.12
Jeremiah Greeness Comp !. 85.18.3}
John Whitings's Comp!
123. 0.7
Ebinezer Jencks Comp!
91. 6 .-
£439. 8.3}
Bille% Rolls for 1761 of Soldiers enlisted by Cap:
Tibbets Hopkins and Lieut Asa Bowdish amounted to £51. 4 .-
Ditto by Cap! Lieu! Tho: Fry 5.15.4
Cap! Giles Russells's Comp! 60. I.
Maj: Christ : Hargills Comp! 68.12.4
Col. John Whitings Comp! . 64.17 -
Lieu: Col. Sam. Rose's Comp! . 66 .- 4
Sold® enlisted by Cap! Nath! Peck, Lieut: Jon! Spears and Abraham Hawkins and Ens". 41. 0.4
Comfort Carpenter .
Cap: Asa Kimbal Comp! 58. 1.4
Cap: Nath! Pecks Comp!
36.14.8
£452. 6.4
Billeting paid the Soldiers after their Return in 1 1761 till they were discharged, by Rob! Pot- ter Esq. .
£6.1.8
Billeting Roll: 1762 Sold's enlisted by Capt Giles Russel Lieu! Hezk Saunders and Ens" Jnº Teff .
81.19.8
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329
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
D'. by Lieuts Tho: Cotterell Edwd Cross and Moses Warren
103.16.8
Do by Lieu's Sam. Thornton W. Henenden and Asa Kimbal and Ensigns Jon. Millard and 138.16.4 Simeon Stevens
Maj! Pecks Company . 108.II .-
Cap: Tho: Tews Comp! 58. 6 .-
Lieu: Col. Hargills Comp! 56.17.8
Col. Sam. Roses Comp! . 176. 5 .-
Sold enlisª by Capt Tho: Fay and Lieu! Asa Bowdish 104.13.8
Capt Abraham Hawkins Comp! . 61.10 .- Solde enlista by Cap: Fay Lieu: Asa Bowdish
and Josiah Hopkins
69. 8.4
966.16.0
COLONEL ROSE 1 TO GOVERNOR WARD.
FORT STANWIX July 5th, 1762
Honoured S.
I here send you inclosed A General Return of the Regiment,2 I doubt not but you will be surprised when you see so large A number deserted in Rhode Island, but according to the returns given to me it appears by Cap: Hawkins Return; that twenty two deserted from him in the company raised at Provi- dence, which in my Oppinion ought to be Enquired into, the Commanding Officers of companys having so large A Latitude in paying Bountys and other Stoppages, which is very Obstructive I imagine to the interest of the Colony and Good of his Majestys Ser- vice. Colonel Whiting 3 applied to me when he was
1 See note to letter of May 17, 1762 .. 2 See enclosure.
8 This proceeding was in accord with the vote of Assembly. Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 316.
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Correspondence of the
here for Liberty to Recruit in the Regt, which I granted but he never applied to my knowled. if the Government thinks proper towards the Last of the campaign, that Men should be raised here to com- pleat the Quota demanded by his Majesty; I think that some Officers being appointed that is now in the Reg: would answer the End better than A Gen- tleman that is in direct opposition to the interest of most Officers present. if you have any thing Matterial to communicate to the Regt you will have an Oppertunity by the Return of the post which is all from Yours to Serve whilst
SAML ROSE
To the Honorable SAME WARD Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island
[Enclosure.]
A General Return of the Rhode Island Regiment Fort Stanwix July 5th 1762.
Rank and Left Sick Deserted in Deserted
Colonel Maj: Capt8. Lieut8. Ensigns Serjt8.
file in camp
at R : Island
Rhode Island
on the passage
Total
I I 2 9 4 22 332 6 45
5 427
L: Colonel Hargil: Detachment being completed at N : York to.
217
Total Officers included
644
SAMT ROSE
33I
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
JOSEPH SHERWOOD TO GOVERNOR WARD.
Respª Friend.
Being Informed thou art Elected Governor of the Colony I take the Liberty of Addressing thee on the Publick Concerns.
I Received sometime ago from the late Governor Information respecting the Martial Operations of the Colony for the Year 1760,1 by which I Under- stood that you had in that Year sent into the Field very near the Number of Men Voted, and that sev- eral other of the Colonies had fallen far short of the Number Voted, and Directed me to make Repre- sentations thereof to the Treasury Board, which I accordingly did and Objected to a Distribution on the same Plan as the Preceeding Year which Distri- bution was according to the Number of Men Voted by each Province, the same Objection was also made by some of the Agents for the other Colonies, Whereupon their Lordships told us that as they had no return from General Amherst of the Forces Actu- ally in the Service they could pay no regard to our Private Intelligence, and unless we could Agree among Ourselves we must wait till the Generals return could be obtained which would take up a Considerable time. It was thereupon Proposed that a part of the Grant for 1760 should Remain in the Treasury to attend the Event of the Claims of any of the Colonys to any Superior or Extra Services which was ap- proved by their Lordships and the sum of £10,000 was thought a proper sum for that Purpose, And the
1 See letter of May 30, 1761.
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Correspondence of the
money has accordingly been Distributed as before Deducting from each Colony one Twentieth part, I have this day received for you £8861.12s. which waits for your Orders, And as to the £10.000 which is to be Distributed among the Colonies by the General's Return I request that you will as Early as Possible Obtain a Copy of such return and if any Error or Oversight should be in to get it Cor- rected therefor the Generals return is most likely to be the Rule which the Lords will Determine the Claims by.1
The Harriot Pacquet from New-York being Chased by a Privateer threw her Dispatches over Board so that I have received no Advice from the Colony.
There was much talk of a Negotiation for Peace a few days ago but it seems now to Subside.2 I am with great Regard to the Gentlemen of the General Assembly and thyself
Their and Thy respectfull Frd
JOSEPH SHERWOOD.
AUSTIN-FRYERS. 31st July 1762.
To SAME WARD Esq!
Gov! of the Colony of Rhode-Island and Provi- dence Plantations
America.
1 See the vote of Assembly upon the matter, in October, Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 341 ; and the letters exchanged between Ward and Amherst of November 11 and 21, Ibid., VI. 343, 344.
2 Moro Castle surrendered July 30, after a siege of six weeks. Havana capitulated two weeks later.
1
333
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
LIEUTENANT EDMUND NEWLAND 1 TO GOVERNOR WARD. Sir,
I had an Order the other Day from the General to send all the Recruits I had musterd to N York immediatly and to remain here till I had receivd the whole. I am very sorry to find the Recruiting Ser- vice has been carried on with less Success in this Colony then in any of the others and am Apprehen- sive the Gen! will imagine it must proceed from some Neglect of mine or coolness somewhere else.
I have made it my Business to enquire how this Affair is conducted in other Places and have con- cluded to acquaint you with the Method taken in Connecticutt which I hope youl approve of as it appears to me to be the most prudent: The Officer appointed by the Gen! to muster the Recruits has receivd from Governor Fitch a Number of Blank Beating Orders signd by the Governor which he has taken the Trouble of Distributing in proper Places about the Colony: he has also settled a Method of easily supplying the Persons with Money for carry- ing on that Service. Now S! if you approve of this Method and will be kind enough to let me know it, I will wait on you at any time you think proper in Order to put it (or any other Method you think proper) in Execution,2 if you do not approve of it, if you would be kind enough to change the Gentlemen at present employd for that Service I should be very
1 Newland was of Lieutenant-Colonel Gage's regiment. See Amherst's letter of May 16, 1762, in Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 319.
2 Action was taken by the Assembly, as suggested. Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 331.
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Correspondence of the
glad as I am certain they give themselves very little Trouble about it and am S.
Your most obedient humble Servant EDMUND NEWLAND L: 80th Reg:
NEWPORT Aug: 2ª 1762
GOVERNOR WARD TO JOSEPH SHERWOOD.
NEWPORT 6th Aug&# 1762
Sir
Having the Honor to be chosen Governor of this Colony I am now to open a Correspondence with you in Behalf of the Government.
I am very sorry to find by your Letter of the 6th Feb!1 last that the Lords of the Treasury would not consent to your applying to Parliament for a Reim- bursement of our Expences in 1756 but as some of the other Colonies have already received their Money for the same Services and none of them have exerted themselves more for his Maj's Interest than we have I hope we may yet obtain ours I must therefore desire you to wait a more favourable Opportunity of renewing your Application to the Treasury This is the Advice of Cap: Harrison 2 from whom I have lately received a Letter on this Subject
I find by your Letters that the Parliament made a
1 See p. 322.
2 Captain Joseph Harrison was a prominent merchant of Newport, of some repute for his talents as a mathematician. He resided for some years in England. He was Collector of the Port of Boston at the time of the " Boston tea-party." See Ward's letter to Harrison, in Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 324. See vote of the Assembly, Ibid., VI. 322.
SAMUEL WARD 1762-1763, 1765-1767
1
335
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
Grant to the Colonies for the Year 1760 and also for 1761 neither of which I suppose were apportioned when you wrote, but as the Colony is in the greatest Want of Money I must recommend it to you to make the most seasonable and diligent Application in Behalf of the Government and to let me know when you have or are likely to receive the Money that the necessary Orders relative to it may be given and no Mistake or Delay happen in the Payment of the Money or Bills ; for this purpose I have enclosed you Copies of our Acts for raising Men this Year and last and if you have Occasion for any further Directions upon this or any other of the Colonies Affairs let me know it by first Opportunity and you may depend upon my giving you the most full and timely Accounts
The Government was not well pleased that you suffered any of their Bills to be protested but as you observe in your next Letter that you shall pay them all I hope it may give Satisfaction and prevent the Dishonor which would have been done to the Colony by their Bills being protested.1
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